Greatest Drummers
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1)
Neil Peart
“nobody else compares to Peart. Simply the best by a large margin.”
“I have to agree the lars is great but when it comes to being the best? well neil is in a class all by himself. I like lars don’t get me wrong. I am a huge metallica fan, but if I had to rate lars I would have to put him third behind neil and mike portnoy of dream theatre. this mans skills are superior.”
“This Man is awesome in every measurable sense - period.”
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2)
Lars Ulrich
“Lars Ulrich got me interested in drumming. I watched him live and it changed my life. if that makes any sense”
“best drummer ever, I’d love to see any other drummer on this list try out that 2nd foot pedal”
“awesome drummer”
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3)
Keith Moon
“I’ve seen Metallica and Rush live, but just listening to The Who studio versions more than surpasses anything enyone else can do.”
“If there’s one drummer that truly embodies rock and roll, someone who was not just a great drummer but the only one who did what he did, and was just as important as anyone in the group he was in, it was Keith Moon. Not technically the best, but the best rock drummer.”
“Keith was without contest a genius and knew how to integrate his raw energy to his virtuoso’s skills. He was the essential touch and texture to the Who’s masterpieces. Noel Gallagher below is damn right about Keith!”
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4)
John Bonham
“John Bonham owned Led Zeppelin -- he didn’t just keep the beat.”
“He’s probably the best drummer besides Keith Moon.”
“. . . and some say he doesn’t need a foot at all. some say a certain organ of the male body is his best whackin device for the drums”
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5)
Buddy Rich
“Many voters are too young to know Buddy’s talent. I’ve heard them all and still marvel at Rich.”
“This guy is the best and the fastest drmmer of all time.”
“"His sticks were not only the fastest but the most consistent, balanced and even strokes on the planet in any generation. "”
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6)
Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan
“That guy has got the fastest feet I’ve ever heard!”
“the rev is the reason I started playing the drums! he should be number 1 he’s crazy awesome!”
“jimmy has so much talent. he should be number 1.”
7)
Danny Carey
“Best, better than dave grohl.”
“tabla solos, odd time signatures, polyrhythms and polymeters. A 26 peiece set that he utilizes with complete freedom and perfection... a modern genius.”
“simply beautiful.”
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8)
Dave Grohl
“Nirvanna and the Foo Fighters... enough said”
9)
Ringo Starr
“Phil Collins (who has always been a big Beatles fan since he was 13 years old in the audience of The Beatles concert in their great film A Hard Day’s Night in 1994 he hosted The Making Of A Hard Day’s Night and said how great their music was in this film and along with Pete Townsend played on 2 songs on Paul McCartney’s 1986 Press To Play album) and Max Weinberge praise Ringo’s drumming and musician and song writer Peter Cross in his excellent online article,The Beatles Are The Most Creative Band Of All Time, says that Ringo might be underrated by the public but he’s not by most professional drummers and that he perfected the art of drum sounds and he said no drummer has ever recorded so many different sounds on so many different sounding records.
He also says that Ringo invented a new style of slow drum playing epitomized on A Day In The Life and Strawberry Fields Forever. He also said that John said many times that Ringo has the best back beat in the business and he said and the professional studio drummers understand why John was correct.
Phil Collins has said that he can’t duplicate Ringo’s great drumming on A Day In The Life and George Martin said that Ringo always had a great ear and feel for a song and that it was his idea to play the tom toms on A Day In The Life giving the song a disctintive percussion sound. Also in Mark Lewisohn’s excellent detailed Beatles music diary,The Beatles Recording Sessions,he explains that in the 100’s of recorded takes The Beatles did for over 100 of their great songs Ringo rarely ever made a mistake that stopped the tapes from running and he said his drumming was excellent and consistent from 1962-1970!
His drumming has also been pointed out as great on Tomorrow Never Knows,She Said She Said,Rain(which he says is his best drumming ever)and Abbey Road.His drumming is also very good on a very early Beatles song,Thank You Girl especially towards the end.
Also, when The Beatles got Ringo to join The Beatles he was in no way an inexperienced drummer,he was already playing for one of the top successful Liverpool bands,Rory Storm and The Huricanes for seceral years when they got him.And George Martin didn’t think Pete Best was a good enough drummer and that Ringo was much better and The Beatles agreed.”
“Ringo is the best drummmer of all time, he should be number one”
“He is definitely underrated because he was never flashy. He held a perfect beat and added the right touch and subtlety to some of the best songs ever waxed.”
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10)
Joey Jordison
“jordison is amazing. big inspiration for me”
“Just amazing”
“cus he’s the best drummer ever”
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11)
Steven Adler
“Nobody changed 80’s rock like gnr. Yes, Slash and Axl made it up but drummers also play the important role although he got some problem with drugs”
12)
Mike Portnoy
“mike portnoy is the best drummer of all time because of his super speed feet and super speed hands... dream theatew fan
”
“"Dream theater is probably my favorite rock band. Portnoy’s drums are the best part"”
“He should be #2 right after Neil Peart”
13)
Chad Smith
“Yes, he is technical, but his patented metalic sounding snare with different beats to everysong with RHCP, there are none better.”
14)
Gene Krupa
“No drummer was ever as exciting as Gene. Greatest beat of all.”
“Krupa was the first drummer to become a star. The man was cutting edge.”
“the best drummer ever”
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15)
Carter Beauford
“Seeing him play is like watching Jordan.”
“just go to youtube... he’s not a rock speed drummer... look at the way each of his four limbs work independently of one another”
16)
Matt Sorum
17)
Dominic Howard
“he is the best drummer, without any doubt”
18)
Bob Bryar
“bob bryar is the best
”
19)
Andy Hurley
“Andy of Fall Out Boy is the most creative drummer I know of”
20)
Yoshiki Hayashi
“he is the man!”
21)
Stewart Copeland
22)
Peter Criss
“Peter Criss finally gets some respect for being the first drummer of KISS!”
23)
Tommy Lee
“He is a great example for a Metal/rock drummer Lars Ulrich should be in 28th place.”
24)
Eric Singer
25)
Ginger Baker
“Pull up "toad" on you tube. That’s the story.”
“Ginger Baker is the best rock drummer of all time by far”
26)
Bill Ward
“Come on... Black Sabbath... one of the most influencial drummers of all time.”
27)
Harry Judd
28)
Jimmy Chamberlin
“Drummer of Smashing Pumpkins and he has a solo project too. He’s the best when it comes to make some paradidles in the snare drum and I have to mention that he is knows how to give a great feeling to every song. He has a fast and smart jazz-like playing style. I love to hear his songs.”
29)
Chad Sexton
30)
Billy Cobham (Mahavishnu Orchestra)
31)
John Otto
32)
Jaska Raatikainen
33)
Don Henley
34)
Steve Smith
35)
Nicko McBrain - Iron Maiden
36)
Deen Castronovo
“He is one awesome drummer.”
37)
Nick Mason
38)
Dave Lombardo
39)
Aaron Gillespie
“Underoath = Amazing.”
40)
Bill Bruford
“How could Bill not be anywhere on this list?”
41)
Max Roach
42)
Bill Kreutzmann
“Not on the list?”
43)
James Kottak
44)
Tommy Aldridge
45)
Mike Wengren
46)
Zak Starkey
“the greatest drummer since the world lost moon and bonham. much better than his father ringo star”
47)
Chris Adler
48)
Cozy Cole
49)
Jimmy Chamberlin
“Smashing Pumpkins. Killer snare rolls.”
50)
Art Blakey
51)
Mickey Hart
“Again another great drummer missing”
listen to sample of Rob Bourdon - Linkin Park
53)
Steve Gadd - Session Musician
54)
Charlie Watts - The Rolling Stones
55)
Carl Palmer - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
56)
Jim Keltner - Session Drummer
57)
Kenny Jones - Small Faces
58)
Max Weinberg - E Street Band
59)
Tony Williams
- Best Albums of All Time
- Best Workout Songs
- Most Missed Deceased Musicians
- Artists With The Best Lyrics
- Most Tragic Musician Deaths
- Best Position To Hold In A Band
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